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With a fourth consecutive Saturday of mass demonstrations against French President Emmanuel Macron’s regressive taxes planned this weekend, tens of thousands of high school students throughout France have staged demonstrations at their school buildings. Students staged demonstrations at 200 schools across the country on Monday, up from 50 on Friday. They expressed their solidarity with the ‘Yellow Vest’ protesters opposing president Emmanuel Macron, their opposition to Macron’s pro-corporate restructuring of university admissions, his mass layoffs of teachers, and his plans to reimpose the military draft.

The same day, dozens of ambulance drivers protesting changes to their working conditions blocked a bridge leading to the National Assembly. Statements are circulating on Facebook indicating that petrol refinery workers will strike today in support of the protests. Protesters wearing yellow vests have staged demonstrations not only in France, but in Belgium and Bulgaria, where they have set up blockades of major roads, as well as the Netherlands. Opposition to Macron, austerity and the high cost of living is intensifying across Europe.

The anger of workers in France and all of Europe, growing for years, is developing in opposition to inequality, the politics of militarism and austerity of Macron and the European Union, and against the brutality of the police forces dispatched against the protesters. ...

Police union officials confirmed that their agents are infiltrating the demonstrations. “In the ultra-right and ultra-left movements, we are collecting information proactively, via infiltrations. But the yellow vests are a new and little structured movement,” said police union officer Guillaume Ryckwaert — therefore requiring greater and more intense infiltration. Demonstrators have accused the police provocateurs of instigating violence aimed at turning public opinion against them and discrediting protesters who are in the overwhelming majority peaceful.

The reaction of the political and media establishment and the trade unions underscores that the ruling elite has nothing to offer the masses of the population besides austerity and repression. Committed to an austerity program that is rejected by 80 percent of the population, the representatives of the financial aristocracy have no other response than to call for the re-imposition of a state of emergency and the intervention of the military against the population. The suspension of democratic rights would be in this case openly tied to the efforts by Macron to impose the diktats of the banks on workers.

After more than two weeks of protests over high fuel prices and intensifying inequality across France under centrist President Emmanuel Macron, the French government announced Tuesday that it would suspend planned price hikes for gas and electricity — but the demands of the so-called "Yellow Vest" protesters have become more broad, and more broadly embraced, as the demonstrations have swelled in size and energy. The price increases for the utilities will be suspended for six months, said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, but leaders of the demonstrations in which hundreds of thousands have donned yellow safety vests were dismissive of the gesture.

"It's a first step, but we will not settle for a crumb," Benjamin Chaucy, one of the leaders of the protest, toldAl Jazeera. "The French don't want crumbs, they want a baguette."

The yellow vest protests began November 17, with 300,000 low- to middle-income demonstrators expressing outrage over fuel costs, which have gone up 20 percent in the last year as a result of Macron's plan to tax carbon use. The price hikes are the result of France's effort to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent in the next 12 years—but the reaction from protesters suggests intense anger across the country as low-income households have bore the burden of the green initiative, adding to the untenable cost of living for many, while the rich have been given generous tax cuts.

In addition to their dissatisfaction with the government's offer regarding the price hikes, the yellow vest protesters have widened the scope of their demonstrations and demands in recent days. The protests have exploded into an impossible-to-ignore statement of outrage over Macron's leadership, which had a 23 percent approval rating according to a poll released Tuesday by Ifop-Fiducial for Paris Match and Sud Radio; working conditions for paramedics; school reforms; and the perception that Macron, a former investment banker, is a president for the country's elite.

"We are in a state of insurrection, I've never seen anything like it," Jeanne d'Hauteserre, mayor of Paris's 8th district, told Al Jazeera.According to French journalist Agnès C. Poirier, both far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing group France Unbowed, have tried to link themselves to the Yellow Vest movement—but their attempts have been rebuffed. "The protesters seem wholly uninterested in party politics," Poirier wrote in the New York Times last week.

The US has given Russia 60 days to comply with the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty or it will no longer abide by the agreement and could produce, test and deploy new missiles, the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has warned. The ultimatum could herald a major new arms race, with serious implications for Europe. The INF treaty has kept nuclear-armed missiles off European soil for nearly three decades. If it breaks down, missiles could be returned to Europe as early as February.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Brussels, Pompeo outlined longstanding US allegations of Russian violations of the cold war-era treaty with the development and deployment of a new ground-launched cruise missile, which he said was part of a wider pattern of lawlessness by the Kremlin. “In light of these facts, the United States today declares it has found Russia in material breach of the treaty and will suspend our obligations as a remedy effective in 60 days unless Russia returns to full and verifiable compliance,” the secretary of state said.

Under the terms of the INF treaty, the US would have to give six months’ notice of withdrawal. That period would only start at the beginning of February, in 60 days’ time, Pompeo said. Meanwhile, the US would simply declare itself no longer bound by the treaty in view of Russia’s alleged material breach. ...

Moscow has denied its new missile violates the INF but, after several years denying its existence, it has been vague on its capabilities. Meanwhile, it accuses the US of violating the INF by the deployment of the Aegis missile defence system in Romania and Poland, on the grounds that the launchers used in that system for defensive interceptors could be adapted to fire offensive cruise missiles. The US has so far dismissed these Russian concerns as groundless.

Vladimir Putin has threatened that Russia will develop new missiles banned by the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty if the US exits the pact and pursues an arms buildup of its own.

The Russian president’s remarks came one day after the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said Moscow was in “material breach” of the cold war-era treaty and issued a 60-day ultimatum for Russia to correct the alleged violations. Otherwise, he said, the US would quit the 1987 accord, considered a milestone in reducing the threat of a nuclear war in Europe.

In Moscow on Wednesday, Putin told journalists the US had provided “no evidence” of Russian violations, and threatened an arms race if the US sought to develop new medium-range missiles after exiting the treaty. “Apparently, our American partners believe that the situation has changed so drastically that the US should also have such weapons,” Putin said in remarks carried by the Interfax news service. “What response is our side to give? A simple one: then we’ll do the same.”

Saying efforts to advance a Syria political process are at a stalemate, US Syria envoy James Jeffrey today proposed that the international community “pull the plug” on the Russia-led Astana process on Syria. But it is not clear that Washington has much support for the proposal even from the European and Arab allies that make up the Syria “small group” that US diplomats met with in Washington today.

Citing the failure of the Astana parties — Russia, Turkey, and Iran — to advance efforts for a Syria constitutional committee at a meeting last week, Jeffrey said the United States would propose getting rid of the competitor to the UN-led Geneva process when UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura departs at the end of the year.

In addition to wanting ISIS defeated, the US wants to ensure they never come back. Meanwhile, they want not only Iran ousted, but all Shi’ite militias in Syria. On top of that, they also want regime change, even though the rebels are all but wiped out.

China has said that Beijing and Washington will push forward with trade negotiations in the next 90 days and it is confident that an agreement can be reached but doubts remain over whether the two sides can resolve their deep differences. The commerce ministry, in a brief statement on its website, also said China would work to implement specific issues already agreed upon as quickly as possible.

The ministry’s statement came after the US president, Donald Trump, called himself “a Tariff Man” on Twitter and warned more levies could be imposed on China. The slew of Trump tweets prompted markets to fall as investors lost faith in a detente between the two nations.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost close to 800 points – just over 3%. Other market indexes also fell sharply: the S&P 500 lost 3.2% and the Nasdaq dropped 3.7%.

The threat of further escalation in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies has loomed large over financial markets and the global economy for much of the year, and investors initially greeted the ceasefire with relief. But the mood has quickly soured on scepticism that the two sides will be able to reach a substantive deal on a host of highly divisive issues within the 90-day negotiating period that was agreed. Failure would raise the spectre of fresh US tariff action and potential Chinese retaliation as early as March.

The U.K. Parliament has published 250 pages of secret internal Facebook emails that lawmakers claim show the company — and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in particular — was planning to sell access to user data to developers willing to spend at least $250,000 a year.

The explosive set of documents contradict Zuckerberg's repeated denials that Facebook was willing to monetize access to its users’ data. The CEO even appears to openly contemplate a business model that leverages user data:

“I’ve been thinking about platform business model a lot this weekend," Zuckerberg said in an email on Oct. 7, 2012. “If we make it so devs can generate revenue for us in different ways, then it makes it more acceptable for us to charge them quite a bit more for using platform.”

Zuckerberg goes on to write that a charge of $0.10 per user per year would be acceptable.

The emails serve up another blow to Facebook's public image following two years of near-constant crises and will likely pique the interest of antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic as they appear to reveal a company looking to aggressively leverage its position to maintain dominance while turning the screws on developers and rivals.

Last month, a amed hacker who has been serving a 10-year prison sentence since 2012 was accused by a guard at a federal detention center of “minor assault,” landing the so-called hacktivist in solitary confinement, according to advocates. The guard at Michigan’s Federal Correctional Institute-Milan made the accusation against Jeremy Hammond — the activist associated with hacking groups Anonymous and LulzSec and best know for hacking private intelligence firm Stratfor and leaking documents to WikiLeaks — on either November 19 or 20. Hammond has been held in solitary confinement ever since, according to the Jeremy Hammond Support Network.

The guard claims that Hammond hit him with a door, “stood his ground,” and pushed his shoulder into the guard. The head of Hammond’s support network said the prison guard’s account is an overblown. “Jeremy says that he was exiting his unit through a door that has no windows and could not see the guard on the other side, and as he’s exiting, bumped the guard with the door,” Grace North told The Intercept. “The guard immediately grabbed Jeremy and threw him up against the wall and dragged him down to solitary, with no handcuffs, without calling for backup, which is against prison protocol, and Jeremy has been there ever since.” North’s version of events also portrays the guard as overly aggressive: After the guard was hit with the door, North said, he asked Hammond if he “wanted to go.”

Hammond, who pleaded guilty to violating one count of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in a noncooperating plea deal, had never been part of any physical alteration since his arrest in Chicago on March 5, 2012. ... Hammond’s run-in with the guard could have severe implications on his time in prison, disrupting his studies toward a higher-education degree and potentially precipitating a move from the minimum-security Milan facility to a medium-security prison. ... This week will mark the start of Hammond’s third week in a so-called segregated housing unit — more commonly known as solitary confinement. The United Nations has said that confinement of such length could be considered torture.

The Cleveland police officer who was fired after fatally shooting 12-year-old Tamir Rice isn’t getting his job back — but it has nothing to do with the 2014 killing, for which he was never indicted.

Rather, Officer Timothy Loehmann was fired in May 2017 for lying on his 2013 job application, and an arbitrator found Wednesday that’s reason enough to keep him out of the Cleveland Police Department, according to Cleveland.com. Loehmann was with the department for less than eight months before he shot Rice.

Earlier this year, Loehmann entered the necessary arbitration proceedings to get his job back via a third-party review of his firing. The city has said it didn’t realize the mistake on his application: He didn’t disclose that he was let go from another, smaller police department due to emotionally unstable behavior.

The white nationalist who drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters at a Virginia rally last year began sobbing and whimpering after his arrest when police told him he had killed someone, according to video played at his trial on Tuesday. Prior to the rally he had sent his mother an image of Adolf Hitler, the court in Charlottesville heard on Tuesday.

But within minutes of the mayhem at the tail end of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on 12 August 2017, James Fields could be heard on footage recorded by a detective’s body-worn camera saying he acted in self-defense. “I didn’t want to hurt people, but I thought they were attacking me,” Fields told the police, according to the video footage played to the jury, which is now expected to opine sooner than expected on whether to convict Fields on 10 charges, including murder. ...

On Tuesday, Judge Richard Moore allowed prosecutors to show the jury a cellphone text message exchange between Fields and his mother the day before Fields traveled to Charlottesville. “I got the weekend off,” Fields wrote to his mother. “I’ll be able to go to the rally.”

“Be careful,” his mother replied. “We’re not the one who need to be careful,” Field wrote. He also attached an image of Adolf Hitler. Moore told the jury they would have to weigh whether the exchange and the image of the Nazi leader showed that Fields had premeditated intent.

The young neo-Nazi accused of using his car as a deadly weapon during the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville argued with his mother in a call from jail about how sorry he ought to be for allegedly causing the death of Heather Heyer, a counterprotester. Prosecutors played the calls on Tuesday, day four of James Alex Fields Jr.’s trial, BuzzFeed News reported, before resting their case. ...

During a December 2017 call, Fields told his mother, Samantha Bloom, that Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, who's been a prominent community activist since the August 2017 violence, was “one of those anti-white communists.”

“She lost her daughter,” Fields’ mother replied, according to BuzzFeed.

Prosecutors have sought to demonstrate that Fields’ actions were premeditated, and that he had an ideological motive, while defense attorneys have tried to argue that he acted in self-defense, according to reporters inside the Charlottesville, Virginia, courtroom.

California law enforcement pursued criminal charges against eight anti-fascist activists who were stabbed or beaten at a neo-Nazi rally while failing to prosecute anyone for the knife attacks against them, according to police records reviewed by the Guardian. In addition to the decision not to charge white supremacists or others for stabbings at a far-right rally that left people with critical wounds, police also investigated 100 anti-fascist counter-protesters, recommending more than 500 total criminal charges against them, according to court filings from civil rights attorneys.

Meanwhile, for men investigated on the neo-Nazi side of a June 2016 brawl at the state capitol, police recommended only five mostly minor charges, none related to stabbings. ... For two of the counter-protesters facing potential prison time, law enforcement officers surveilled their social media activity and cited their leftwing politics and affiliation with Chicano and indigenous rights groups as evidence against them, the police reports revealed. None of the defendants heading toward trial were accused of the stabbings of anti-fascists.

Lawyers analyzed more than a hundred police reports, finding that the California highway patrol (CHP) investigated 22 men affiliated with TWP and recommended no charges for 17 of them, including some who police said were holding knives. For every anti-fascist protester police could identify, however, law enforcement pursued charges, including against people who were not accused of any violence and were simply attending the counter-demonstration alongside other activists, defense attorneys wrote. Those activists were accused of “unlawful assembly”.

As Democrats prepare to take over the U.S. House of Representatives, abortion foes are shifting their efforts to a friendlier branch of government: the Trump administration. Specifically, abortion opponents are targeting the Title X program, which provides federal funding for family planning services for low-income Americans. More than 4 million people participate in the Title X program each year, receiving services like STD testing, cancer screenings, and birth control. Right now, none of the $286.5 million dedicated to Title X can be used to pay for providing abortions. (Since the 1970s, Congress has decreed that no federal dollars can be used to pay for abortions, except in limited circumstances.)

But the White House can flex its rule-making muscle to push through changes to Title X that would make it harder for clinics that provide abortions to operate, such as requiring they create physically separate spaces for abortions, and limiting doctors’ freedom to refer patients to providers that offer abortions. Advocates in the field widely expect these changes, first proposed in May, to be finalized within the next eight weeks.

“When you have a friendly administration, that opens up doors for administrative activities,” said Kristi Hamrick, a spokesperson for Students for Life of America, the United States’ largest anti-abortion organization dedicated to mobilizing students. “So we just have to look at all the different funding streams and all the different programs.” Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins met with White House administrators last week to discuss post-midterms strategy. She also suggested other administrative changes such as asking that the Department of Health and Human Services stop funding fetal tissue research and that Planned Parenthood no longer be eligible for federal sex ed grants.

As Wisconsin Republicans voted to plow ahead with a sweeping package of legislation that would allow outgoing Gov. Scott Walker to strip significant authority from Democratic governor-elect Tony Evers, outraged Wisconsinites flooded the state capitol Monday night to denounce the GOP's brazen attempt to subvert the will of the voters and "undo democracy itself."

Unlike some of their representatives, thousands of Wisconsinites braved the freezing weather and turned out in force, crowding the inside of the capitol building with chants of "Respect our vote!" and rallying outside to denounce the Republicans' last-ditch power grab. ...

If approved by the state legislature, the Republican plan would force Evers to implement Wisconsin's Trump-approved Medicaid work requirements, stop him from banning guns in the state capitol, and restrict both his ability and that of newly-elected Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul to execute the state's legal affairs. The GOP's sweeping legislative package would also severely restrict early voting, limiting it to as little as two weeks before an election.

Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled state senate voted just before sunrise on Wednesday, following an all-night session, to pass a sweeping bill in a lame-duck session designed to weaken the incoming Democratic governor, Tony Evers, who ousted the Republican Scott Walker last month.

Republicans pushed on through protests, internal disagreement and Democratic opposition to the measures designed to reduce the powers of Evers and the incoming attorney general, Josh Kaul, also a Democrat replacing a Republican. Critics have called the move a threat to democracy. ...

Evers and Kaul urged Republicans not to pass the bill early on Wednesday, warning that lawsuits would bring more gridlock to Wisconsin when the new administration, and the first divided state government in Wisconsin in 10 years, takes over early in 2019. But Republicans forged ahead regardless. The assembly was expected to pass the bill later on Wednesday, sending it on to Walker for his consideration in the waning weeks of his controversial governorship. Walker is in his final five weeks as governor after losing a bid for a third term to Evers, the state schools superintendent.

Last December, a London-based energy company secured drilling rights to 67,000 acres in Montana for the paltry sum of $1.50 per acre – a steal compared to the $100 per acre average price tag for land leased under the final four years of the Obama administration, according to The New York Times.

This wasn’t some end-of-the-year clearance sale. While you might think public lands would be more safeguarded than most from oil and gas development, the Trump administration has actually made it dangerously affordable to lease drilling rights. That’s especially concerning in light of a new federal report that found drilling on public lands accounts for nearly a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

“We clearly have a system that is incentivizing speculation,” said Jeremy Nichols, the Climate and Energy Program Director at WildEarth Guardians. He said the low lease prices allowed companies to take advantage of public lands and make money off the backs of taxpayers.“I call it a liquidation. When you’re selling public lands for $1.50 an acre, you are liquidating.”

This devaluing of public lands and their wholesale leasing is not only alarming because of the associated greenhouse gases. Drilling can end up cutting off wildlife corridors, threatening native flora and fauna. It can also lead to massive spikes in air pollution — which is why some towns located near the gas fields in western Wyoming have experienced higher smog levels than Los Angeles.

Half of Canada’s chinook salmon are endangered, with nearly all other populations in precarious decline, according to a new report, confirming fears that prospects for the species remain dire. The reportby the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada concluded that eight of the country’s 16 populations are considered endangered, four are threatened, one is of special concern and the health of two remain unknown.

Only one population, which spawns on the Thompson river in British Columbia, is believed to be stable.

“For those of us who have been working on recovering chinook salmon runs in British Columbia, we knew they were in terrible, terrible shape for quite a while now,” said Aaron Hill of Watershed Watch, an organisation that monitors ecosystem health. “It was actually good to see it finally recognised by this federally mandated science body, because this hopefully initiates more serious protection efforts from the government.”

Watershed Watch has renewed calls for chinook to be listed under federal legislation which would afford the ailing populations more robust government protection. But similar calls were made last year, when the same committee of scientists found that one-third of sockeye salmon are endangered, and the federal government has yet to take action.

West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin is under attack from a potential 2020 Democratic candidate over his views on climate change. Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington state, is launching a petition to demand that Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, block Manchin from serving as the top Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

In an email sent out to supporters, Inslee insists: “Senate Democrats must not allow Joe Manchin to become the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I need your help to stop this.” While the Washington Democrat offers some praise for Manchin, saying “Look, Joe Manchin has been a champion for affordable health care for every American. He’s been a leader on issues you and I care deeply about.” However, he adds: “But on climate, he’s simply wrong.” ...

The effort shows Inslee making an effort to appeal to those progressives as a potential “climate candidate” if he chooses to run in 2020. Inslee’s petition comes as the Washington governor has formed a federal political action committee, which he could use to fund the exploratory steps of a presidential bid. A former seven-term congressman, Inslee has already made a number of visits to early presidential primary states in his role as head of the Democratic Governors Association during the 2018 election cycle.

Also of Interest

Here are some articles of interest, some which defied fair-use abstraction.

Comments

I love the yellow vests - ah, France, I wish Americans were THAT awake.

My head is spinning with the news. Hey - let's all get ready for nuclear apocalypse! Herr Drumpf is playing with our lives. So, what's new?

Geez - I'm so happy I don't live in Wisconsin or Michigan! I hope they have some recourse in the courts to overturn what's happening. I know North Carolina is still fighting the actions of their legislature when a Dimorat became Gov. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

Have a beautiful evening, folks!

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“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.”

yep, those french folks know how to party in the streets. i see that it is slowly spreading to belgium and elsewhere in europe. the problem that they are addressing is global, so hopefully (fingers crossed) it might be the color revolution of the western world.

i was gratified to see people from wisconsin visiting their elected "representatives" to deliver a message. it looks like the republican jackasses in their legislature may need repeated, escalating applications of the peoples' voices.

I love the yellow vests - ah, France, I wish Americans were THAT awake.

My head is spinning with the news. Hey - let's all get ready for nuclear apocalypse! Herr Drumpf is playing with our lives. So, what's new?

Geez - I'm so happy I don't live in Wisconsin or Michigan! I hope they have some recourse in the courts to overturn what's happening. I know North Carolina is still fighting the actions of their legislature when a Dimorat became Gov. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

they use it. And if it pisses-off the opposition, so much the better. They are ruthless SOBs.

Dems are pitiful and powerless. They only really get behind a cause, when it is well and truly lost. It isn’t whether they win or lose, it’s how hard you fight as you are losing. Or how much you give away when you don’t have to, like some insane political potlatch.

yep, those french folks know how to party in the streets. i see that it is slowly spreading to belgium and elsewhere in europe. the problem that they are addressing is global, so hopefully (fingers crossed) it might be the color revolution of the western world.

i was gratified to see people from wisconsin visiting their elected "representatives" to deliver a message. it looks like the republican jackasses in their legislature may need repeated, escalating applications of the peoples' voices.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

For our readers in Germany: Nearsighted Neoliberalism Helped Mobilize Today's Far Right
Same as here, same as France, neoliberalism is the problem.
Here's one of my favorite bands, from Bisbee, AZ, the Whiskey Lickers. They play every Thursday night in the bar at the Bisbee Grand. They've captured the spirit of the town.

For our readers in Germany: Nearsighted Neoliberalism Helped Mobilize Today's Far Right
Same as here, same as France, neoliberalism is the problem.
Here's one of my favorite bands, from Bisbee, AZ, the Whiskey Lickers. They play every Thursday night in the bar at the Bisbee Grand. They've captured the spirit of the town.

For our readers in Germany: Nearsighted Neoliberalism Helped Mobilize Today's Far Right
Same as here, same as France, neoliberalism is the problem.
Here's one of my favorite bands, from Bisbee, AZ, the Whiskey Lickers. They play every Thursday night in the bar at the Bisbee Grand. They've captured the spirit of the town.

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“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.”

thanks, that's a great article about market fundamentalism being the root cause of the rise of so-called populism (read fascism). the sad thing is, the neoliberals are probably in favor of fascism since it will allow them to retain control of the economy.

cool band! the tune sounds a lot like "deep elem blues."

For our readers in Germany: Nearsighted Neoliberalism Helped Mobilize Today's Far Right
Same as here, same as France, neoliberalism is the problem.
Here's one of my favorite bands, from Bisbee, AZ, the Whiskey Lickers. They play every Thursday night in the bar at the Bisbee Grand. They've captured the spirit of the town.

@joe shikspack
That song is a good old trad for sure. I've heard it as Deep Vellum Blues too, with a V.
That's the music culture in Bisbee; Old-Timey, Trad, Americana.
As for the politics, of course the neoliberals are OK with fascism, when it comes right down to it.
It's always been this way.Neoliberal is a 21st century term, Fascism is from the 20th century.
It doesn't matter, whatever the era, the power of the Few over the Many always, in the end, comes down to violence.

thanks, that's a great article about market fundamentalism being the root cause of the rise of so-called populism (read fascism). the sad thing is, the neoliberals are probably in favor of fascism since it will allow them to retain control of the economy.

i think that it is the first recording of it under the title deep elem blues. i think that there is an earlier recording of the tune as the "georgia black bottom blues," done by a brother pair (cofer brothers?). it's definitely a trad, though.

#2.3
That song is a good old trad for sure. I've heard it as Deep Vellum Blues too, with a V.
That's the music culture in Bisbee; Old-Timey, Trad, Americana.
As for the politics, of course the neoliberals are OK with fascism, when it comes right down to it.
It's always been this way.Neoliberal is a 21st century term, Fascism is from the 20th century.
It doesn't matter, whatever the era, the power of the Few over the Many always, in the end, comes down to violence.

@Azazello
I looked to see if that was our favorite airline pilot but I don't think it was as that fellow was finger picking the banjo and I'm pretty sure Bisbo plays hammerclaw style. Cool tune and band, dude.

#2.3
That song is a good old trad for sure. I've heard it as Deep Vellum Blues too, with a V.
That's the music culture in Bisbee; Old-Timey, Trad, Americana.
As for the politics, of course the neoliberals are OK with fascism, when it comes right down to it.
It's always been this way.Neoliberal is a 21st century term, Fascism is from the 20th century.
It doesn't matter, whatever the era, the power of the Few over the Many always, in the end, comes down to violence.

@Azazello
history if shipping immigrant workers out of town on a train to die in the desert? Just read about that last week.

For our readers in Germany: Nearsighted Neoliberalism Helped Mobilize Today's Far Right
Same as here, same as France, neoliberalism is the problem.
Here's one of my favorite bands, from Bisbee, AZ, the Whiskey Lickers. They play every Thursday night in the bar at the Bisbee Grand. They've captured the spirit of the town.

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Although I feel this guy is in the minority among Walker donors. I think that early voting is equally enjoyed among most of each party's voters. It may actually help older voters whom tend to vote conservatively. Ya never know there maybe are some Republican voters with integrity and believe this is going too far.

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O.k. When is the next meeting for the revolution?
-FuturePassed on Sunday, November 25, 2018 10:22 p.m.

Although I feel this guy is in the minority among Walker donors. I think that early voting is equally enjoyed among most of each party's voters. It may actually help older voters whom tend to vote conservatively. Ya never know there maybe are some Republican voters with integrity and believe this is going too far.

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The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

Although I feel this guy is in the minority among Walker donors. I think that early voting is equally enjoyed among most of each party's voters. It may actually help older voters whom tend to vote conservatively. Ya never know there maybe are some Republican voters with integrity and believe this is going too far.

@joe shikspack@joe shikspack
cannot see Walker's general smarminess! Well nationally people did. WI has just been over run with right wing media and NRA. It's just sad because this State used to have so much going for it. We used to have good primary and secondary education. We were on the road to improving waterways and environment.

After taking a recent road trip out West I realized just what a literal shithole WI is from all the factory farming. In fall the shit trucks line rural roads spreading the stinky manure all over. I guess I knew it but didn't realize how bad it was until I got away from it. It's just depressing.

But I am glad the grifting Walker family got their asses booted from the Governor's mansion.

on Democracy Now of John MacArthur is amazing. The whole thing is mind blowing but he finishes up with something that should make every red-blooded, patriotic American's stomach turn. He quotes McGovern (and I will paraphrase) saying that the WWll vets came home having had enough of violence, but that H.W. Bush was different, he did not have enough, he wanted more violence.
In one of his essays, our Big Al asks why we bother to elect presidents.

WWll vets came home having had enough of violence, but that H.W. Bush was different, he did not have enough, he wanted more violence.

bush was indeed different. he came from an elite family that had intentions of ruling the world, so to speak. violence is just a part of the family business that one contracts out.

on Democracy Now of John MacArthur is amazing. The whole thing is mind blowing but he finishes up with something that should make every red-blooded, patriotic American's stomach turn. He quotes McGovern (and I will paraphrase) saying that the WWll vets came home having had enough of violence, but that H.W. Bush was different, he did not have enough, he wanted more violence.
In one of his essays, our Big Al asks why we bother to elect presidents.

@joe shikspack
and thanks for the EB.
I just keep forgetting how that "family business" thing works. I guess it's because I was taught, like most everyone else I know, that that is immoral and horrific behavior so my mind doesn't fully grasp it.

to say 'hi,' and thanks for tonight's EB, and the piece about "No Labels" posted last evening, IIRC. Here's a link to a piece regarding Pelosi's so-called 'deal' with the Problem Solvers Caucus. Also, a brief excerpt, highlighting the key point. I've seen so many misunderstandings/misinterpretations of what the Problem Solvers Caucus is trying to achieve. For cryin' out loud--they are New Dems/corporatist Dems like Pelosi!. So, their goal is "to gain more power" for the corporatist/conservative Dem Party rank-and-file lawmakers--NOT topple her.

Pelosi cuts deal with Problem Solvers on House rules overhaul

By Mike Lillis - 11/28/18 12:40 PM EST

Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.), a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, rejected the notion that the caucus was simply out to topple Pelosi, who faces an early test in her Speaker bid Wednesday as House Democrats meet behind closed doors.

“A lot of people mischaracterize us as an anti-Nancy Pelosi group. Problem Solvers are trying to come up with changes to the House rules that will open up the process, make it a little bit more a bottom up, rather than a top-down, process,” Lipinski said Wednesday morning.

“That’s what we’re looking to do.”

It is truly amazing how deftly the current Dem Party Leadership has achieved an almost complete "New Dem" takeover--including the expanded Blue Dog Coalition, and multitudes of new conservative Military/Natn'l Security/State Dept/CIA Dems. And, to top it off, they seem to have convinced much of the Base that because ACO and a couple other progressives beat a few incumbents, the Dem Party has been transformed into a liberal bastion. Go figure.

I'm guessing that once the new 'rules' kick in, along with Pelosi's Pay-Go Rule, there will be a very rude awakening. BTW, (NYT) Thomas Friedman opined the other day that the "Next America," and a return to 'governing' will be ushered in (he infers) by the Dems in 2020, after they take back the White House. IOW, a "Next America" that slashes Social Security and Medicare because of the impending retirement of 76 million Baby Boomers--out of necessity, of course.

Unfortunately, still working on selecting 2019 Part D Plan. (Down to the wire because of Mr M's situation, since his RX's are ever changing/expanding.) Only got 2 more days, and, I'll need them.

A heads-up--RX's have been dropped in huge numbers from the Part D formularies; so, be super careful, Folks! I'll be writing about that after the first of the year, if all goes as planned.

After I called a Pharmacy (to make sure they'd be in network next year), found out that Aetna has sold its Part D Plans to WellCare (Tampa, FL). It was done in order to slim down their portfolio, so they could merge with CVS--a done deal, now. Aetna will take care of Customer Service for these plans for 2019; however, effective December 31, 2018, the 2.2 million Aetna subscribers/beneficiaries will actually be in a plan owned by WellCare.

Pretty nippy, here--stay warm, Everyone. And have a nice evening!

Blue Onyx

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust.

They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."

good to see you! i hope that mr. m is making good progress and feeling as well as possible.

i agree with you, it looks like the dems have pulled off a pretty big pr coup, giving the impression of making concessions to its left wing while shoring up the power of the corporate majority. i wonder if they will be able to keep up the tap dance until after the 2020 elections.

best of luck with the part d plans. i am not looking forward to having to deal with the needlessly complex medicare system in a few short years.

to say 'hi,' and thanks for tonight's EB, and the piece about "No Labels" posted last evening, IIRC. Here's a link to a piece regarding Pelosi's so-called 'deal' with the Problem Solvers Caucus. Also, a brief excerpt, highlighting the key point. I've seen so many misunderstandings/misinterpretations of what the Problem Solvers Caucus is trying to achieve. For cryin' out loud--they are New Dems/corporatist Dems like Pelosi!. So, their goal is "to gain more power" for the corporatist/conservative Dem Party rank-and-file lawmakers--NOT topple her.

Pelosi cuts deal with Problem Solvers on House rules overhaul

By Mike Lillis - 11/28/18 12:40 PM EST

Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.), a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, rejected the notion that the caucus was simply out to topple Pelosi, who faces an early test in her Speaker bid Wednesday as House Democrats meet behind closed doors.

“A lot of people mischaracterize us as an anti-Nancy Pelosi group. Problem Solvers are trying to come up with changes to the House rules that will open up the process, make it a little bit more a bottom up, rather than a top-down, process,” Lipinski said Wednesday morning.

“That’s what we’re looking to do.”

It is truly amazing how deftly the current Dem Party Leadership has achieved an almost complete "New Dem" takeover--including the expanded Blue Dog Coalition, and multitudes of new conservative Military/Natn'l Security/State Dept/CIA Dems. And, to top it off, they seem to have convinced much of the Base that because ACO and a couple other progressives beat a few incumbents, the Dem Party has been transformed into a liberal bastion. Go figure.

I'm guessing that once the new 'rules' kick in, along with Pelosi's Pay-Go Rule, there will be a very rude awakening. BTW, (NYT) Thomas Friedman opined the other day that the "Next America," and a return to 'governing' will be ushered in (he infers) by the Dems in 2020, after they take back the White House. IOW, a "Next America" that slashes Social Security and Medicare because of the impending retirement of 76 million Baby Boomers--out of necessity, of course.

Unfortunately, still working on selecting 2019 Part D Plan. (Down to the wire because of Mr M's situation, since his RX's are ever changing/expanding.) Only got 2 more days, and, I'll need them.

A heads-up--RX's have been dropped in huge numbers from the Part D formularies; so, be super careful, Folks! I'll be writing about that after the first of the year, if all goes as planned.

After I called a Pharmacy (to make sure they'd be in network next year), found out that Aetna has sold its Part D Plans to WellCare (Tampa, FL). It was done in order to slim down their portfolio, so they could merge with CVS--a done deal, now. Aetna will take care of Customer Service for these plans for 2019; however, effective December 31, 2018, the 2.2 million Aetna subscribers/beneficiaries will actually be in a plan owned by WellCare.

Pretty nippy, here--stay warm, Everyone. And have a nice evening!

Blue Onyx

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust.

They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."

Yes, you should consider yourself very lucky that you don't have to mess with so-called Medicare Open Enrollment. What I can't fathom, is what we'd do if we were actually looking at our changing/re-selecting our entire Medicare coverage every year (which to some extent, I guess Folks in Medicare Advantage do). With each year that passes, I'm getting more sick of it, not less.

One thing, though--when 'experts' recommend re-looking at plans, they're really not blowing smoke. This year it's trickier, because of the collective slimming down of RX formularies--which insurers don't advertise, of course. Definitely need to do one's homework, since the Medicare website doesn't mention the total number of drugs contained in plan formularies.

Have a nice evening!

Blue Onyx

"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."~~W. R. Purche

good to see you! i hope that mr. m is making good progress and feeling as well as possible.

i agree with you, it looks like the dems have pulled off a pretty big pr coup, giving the impression of making concessions to its left wing while shoring up the power of the corporate majority. i wonder if they will be able to keep up the tap dance until after the 2020 elections.

best of luck with the part d plans. i am not looking forward to having to deal with the needlessly complex medicare system in a few short years.

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust.

On my walk today the dawgs went one way and I went another because of the snow. A few minutes later I hear Charlie doing her kicked-in-the-ribs howling because she couldn't see me. I knew what meant and it gave me a warm tingle to know how much I mean to her. But she could have just followed Abby who found me first. I swear both of them grinned when they came up to me. Dawgs ...

to say 'hi,' and thanks for tonight's EB, and the piece about "No Labels" posted last evening, IIRC. Here's a link to a piece regarding Pelosi's so-called 'deal' with the Problem Solvers Caucus. Also, a brief excerpt, highlighting the key point. I've seen so many misunderstandings/misinterpretations of what the Problem Solvers Caucus is trying to achieve. For cryin' out loud--they are New Dems/corporatist Dems like Pelosi!. So, their goal is "to gain more power" for the corporatist/conservative Dem Party rank-and-file lawmakers--NOT topple her.

Pelosi cuts deal with Problem Solvers on House rules overhaul

By Mike Lillis - 11/28/18 12:40 PM EST

Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.), a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, rejected the notion that the caucus was simply out to topple Pelosi, who faces an early test in her Speaker bid Wednesday as House Democrats meet behind closed doors.

“A lot of people mischaracterize us as an anti-Nancy Pelosi group. Problem Solvers are trying to come up with changes to the House rules that will open up the process, make it a little bit more a bottom up, rather than a top-down, process,” Lipinski said Wednesday morning.

“That’s what we’re looking to do.”

It is truly amazing how deftly the current Dem Party Leadership has achieved an almost complete "New Dem" takeover--including the expanded Blue Dog Coalition, and multitudes of new conservative Military/Natn'l Security/State Dept/CIA Dems. And, to top it off, they seem to have convinced much of the Base that because ACO and a couple other progressives beat a few incumbents, the Dem Party has been transformed into a liberal bastion. Go figure.

I'm guessing that once the new 'rules' kick in, along with Pelosi's Pay-Go Rule, there will be a very rude awakening. BTW, (NYT) Thomas Friedman opined the other day that the "Next America," and a return to 'governing' will be ushered in (he infers) by the Dems in 2020, after they take back the White House. IOW, a "Next America" that slashes Social Security and Medicare because of the impending retirement of 76 million Baby Boomers--out of necessity, of course.

Unfortunately, still working on selecting 2019 Part D Plan. (Down to the wire because of Mr M's situation, since his RX's are ever changing/expanding.) Only got 2 more days, and, I'll need them.

A heads-up--RX's have been dropped in huge numbers from the Part D formularies; so, be super careful, Folks! I'll be writing about that after the first of the year, if all goes as planned.

After I called a Pharmacy (to make sure they'd be in network next year), found out that Aetna has sold its Part D Plans to WellCare (Tampa, FL). It was done in order to slim down their portfolio, so they could merge with CVS--a done deal, now. Aetna will take care of Customer Service for these plans for 2019; however, effective December 31, 2018, the 2.2 million Aetna subscribers/beneficiaries will actually be in a plan owned by WellCare.

Pretty nippy, here--stay warm, Everyone. And have a nice evening!

Blue Onyx

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust.

They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."

~~Roger Caras, Author, "A Celebration Of Dogs"

up

11 users have voted.

—

America is a pathetic nation; a fascist state fueled by the greed, malice, and stupidity of her own people.
- strife delivery

Caras' words to be true, as well. You're right, it's totally heartwarming to see your dawg(s) smile when they see you. And, no doubt that they do. (BTW, still miss Caras announcing Westminster--what a voice!)

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust.

On my walk today the dawgs went one way and I went another because of the snow. A few minutes later I hear Charlie doing her kicked-in-the-ribs howling because she couldn't see me. I knew what meant and it gave me a warm tingle to know how much I mean to her. But she could have just followed Abby who found me first. I swear both of them grinned when they came up to me. Dawgs ...

when they started getting too far away from me. I have always let mine walk off leash in areas where it's permitted or when we'd go camping or hiking. Doing this game taught them to keep an eye on me and not getting too far ahead of me. Just hide behind a tree or climbing a rock and being out of sight. It didn't take long for them to watch how far ahead of me they got.

My first beagle Dusty Dawg loved being in front of the group when we went hiking, but I was usually lagging behind because I was taking pictures. People would laugh when she started back down the trail to look to see what was taking me so long. She'd give me a dirty look and then she would go back to leading the group. Rinse and repeat.

Caras' words to be true, as well. You're right, it's totally heartwarming to see your dawg(s) smile when they see you. And, no doubt that they do. (BTW, still miss Caras announcing Westminster--what a voice!)

I admittedly have a lot of pet peeves. Many move up or down the list on any given day based on the news cycle, whatever landlord issues I am having that day or my mood. However, there are some that always stay in the top ten. One of those is reading comprehension or more to the point, the lack thereof. I also admit to not always being the best example of following my own thinking about this, but I do try to follow a couple of simple rules. With practice, this can actually be done rather quickly.

Rules: Do not immediately respond to what you have read. Look again to make sure that the words on the page or the words you heard were actually what you first thought. Check your understanding of the message. Determine if it is worth getting tied up in a bundle of emotions over. Think again.

A response to a tweet from a model who "is known for using her plus-size model fame as a platform for body positivity" stated "Gain some weight. Be a plus size model." The model, her fans and the author(who called the poster "a hater") of the article came unglued. The usually insulting posts to the person who made the remark showed that the readers had not paid attention to the actual words, understood them or thought again.

My response on reading the tweet and then viewing a picture of the model (see below) was that rather than getting upset with a person who saw the model as not being "fat" which is basically what the term "plus-sized" implies, maybe readers should have considered who/what is determining what a woman is supposed to look like. Hint: It is not the woman herself.

up

7 users have voted.

—

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

heh, the whole thing falls under one of my larger pet peeves: twitter.

while brevity may be the soul of wit, it is not necessarily a conduit of understanding or social comity. i view the institution of twitter as being the cb radio of the internet (for those who are old enough to remember the cb radio craze, when all of america decided that they wanted to talk like a long-haul trucker.)

(One would be hitting the wrong button and having to re-type this.)

I admittedly have a lot of pet peeves. Many move up or down the list on any given day based on the news cycle, whatever landlord issues I am having that day or my mood. However, there are some that always stay in the top ten. One of those is reading comprehension or more to the point, the lack thereof. I also admit to not always being the best example of following my own thinking about this, but I do try to follow a couple of simple rules. With practice, this can actually be done rather quickly.

Rules: Do not immediately respond to what you have read. Look again to make sure that the words on the page or the words you heard were actually what you first thought. Check your understanding of the message. Determine if it is worth getting tied up in a bundle of emotions over. Think again.

A response to a tweet from a model who "is known for using her plus-size model fame as a platform for body positivity" stated "Gain some weight. Be a plus size model." The model, her fans and the author(who called the poster "a hater") of the article came unglued. The usually insulting posts to the person who made the remark showed that the readers had not paid attention to the actual words, understood them or thought again.

My response on reading the tweet and then viewing a picture of the model (see below) was that rather than getting upset with a person who saw the model as not being "fat" which is basically what the term "plus-sized" implies, maybe readers should have considered who/what is determining what a woman is supposed to look like. Hint: It is not the woman herself.

heh, the whole thing falls under one of my larger pet peeves: twitter.

while brevity may be the soul of wit, it is not necessarily a conduit of understanding or social comity. i view the institution of twitter as being the cb radio of the internet (for those who are old enough to remember the cb radio craze, when all of america decided that they wanted to talk like a long-haul trucker.)

up

8 users have voted.

—

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

heh, the whole thing falls under one of my larger pet peeves: twitter.

while brevity may be the soul of wit, it is not necessarily a conduit of understanding or social comity. i view the institution of twitter as being the cb radio of the internet (for those who are old enough to remember the cb radio craze, when all of america decided that they wanted to talk like a long-haul trucker.)

up

7 users have voted.

—

The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

heh, the whole thing falls under one of my larger pet peeves: twitter.

while brevity may be the soul of wit, it is not necessarily a conduit of understanding or social comity. i view the institution of twitter as being the cb radio of the internet (for those who are old enough to remember the cb radio craze, when all of america decided that they wanted to talk like a long-haul trucker.)

@WindDancer13
following that link and trying to figure out who is on whose side, i'm just going to respond directly to that photo purely in the context of my own perspective: Anybody who thinks that woman has an excess of body fat is an idiot. It is indeed interesting that the world doesn't seem to have room for more than two categories of women's BMI, which I will pejoratively label as anorexic or obese.

I can think of lots of reasons, some cultural, some biological, why a woman might feel bad about being five foot five and weighing 250 pounds. I can think of no good reason why a woman looking in the mirror and seeing the body in the photo above should think anything other than, "Damn! I am glad I look like this!" The culture can bring pressure, but at some point every individual, for their own sake, must draw the line and say, "The criteria are unreasonable, and I will not subject myself to evaluation."

(One would be hitting the wrong button and having to re-type this.)

I admittedly have a lot of pet peeves. Many move up or down the list on any given day based on the news cycle, whatever landlord issues I am having that day or my mood. However, there are some that always stay in the top ten. One of those is reading comprehension or more to the point, the lack thereof. I also admit to not always being the best example of following my own thinking about this, but I do try to follow a couple of simple rules. With practice, this can actually be done rather quickly.

Rules: Do not immediately respond to what you have read. Look again to make sure that the words on the page or the words you heard were actually what you first thought. Check your understanding of the message. Determine if it is worth getting tied up in a bundle of emotions over. Think again.

A response to a tweet from a model who "is known for using her plus-size model fame as a platform for body positivity" stated "Gain some weight. Be a plus size model." The model, her fans and the author(who called the poster "a hater") of the article came unglued. The usually insulting posts to the person who made the remark showed that the readers had not paid attention to the actual words, understood them or thought again.

My response on reading the tweet and then viewing a picture of the model (see below) was that rather than getting upset with a person who saw the model as not being "fat" which is basically what the term "plus-sized" implies, maybe readers should have considered who/what is determining what a woman is supposed to look like. Hint: It is not the woman herself.

up

6 users have voted.

—

The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

#7
following that link and trying to figure out who is on whose side, i'm just going to respond directly to that photo purely in the context of my own perspective: Anybody who thinks that woman has an excess of body fat is an idiot. It is indeed interesting that the world doesn't seem to have room for more than two categories of women's BMI, which I will pejoratively label as anorexic or obese.

I can think of lots of reasons, some cultural, some biological, why a woman might feel bad about being five foot five and weighing 250 pounds. I can think of no good reason why a woman looking in the mirror and seeing the body in the photo above should think anything other than, "Damn! I am glad I look like this!" The culture can bring pressure, but at some point every individual, for their own sake, must draw the line and say, "The criteria are unreasonable, and I will not subject myself to evaluation."

but women's weight/body type was not the focus of my post. Listening/reading with comprehension was: not letting emotions overwhelm one's understanding of what was actually said.

The article was pretty clear. One person was basically disagreeing with the term plus size in regard to this model, and people read it wrong and came down on his head (the poster's name was male, so am assuming a "he").

#7
following that link and trying to figure out who is on whose side, i'm just going to respond directly to that photo purely in the context of my own perspective: Anybody who thinks that woman has an excess of body fat is an idiot. It is indeed interesting that the world doesn't seem to have room for more than two categories of women's BMI, which I will pejoratively label as anorexic or obese.

I can think of lots of reasons, some cultural, some biological, why a woman might feel bad about being five foot five and weighing 250 pounds. I can think of no good reason why a woman looking in the mirror and seeing the body in the photo above should think anything other than, "Damn! I am glad I look like this!" The culture can bring pressure, but at some point every individual, for their own sake, must draw the line and say, "The criteria are unreasonable, and I will not subject myself to evaluation."

up

2 users have voted.

—

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

@WindDancer13
If our culture is going to entertain the concept of "plus size" models, it perhaps should also entertain the concept of "minus size" models (which would be most of them), and Iskra Lawrence would belong to neither category -- she'd just be, you know, normal. I mean, yeah, not normal in the sense that she's not preposterously attractive, but normal in the sense that her BMI is about what you might expect from a healthy woman in her 20s or 30s who ate a reasonable diet and got some regular daily exercise.

(One would be hitting the wrong button and having to re-type this.)

I admittedly have a lot of pet peeves. Many move up or down the list on any given day based on the news cycle, whatever landlord issues I am having that day or my mood. However, there are some that always stay in the top ten. One of those is reading comprehension or more to the point, the lack thereof. I also admit to not always being the best example of following my own thinking about this, but I do try to follow a couple of simple rules. With practice, this can actually be done rather quickly.

Rules: Do not immediately respond to what you have read. Look again to make sure that the words on the page or the words you heard were actually what you first thought. Check your understanding of the message. Determine if it is worth getting tied up in a bundle of emotions over. Think again.

A response to a tweet from a model who "is known for using her plus-size model fame as a platform for body positivity" stated "Gain some weight. Be a plus size model." The model, her fans and the author(who called the poster "a hater") of the article came unglued. The usually insulting posts to the person who made the remark showed that the readers had not paid attention to the actual words, understood them or thought again.

My response on reading the tweet and then viewing a picture of the model (see below) was that rather than getting upset with a person who saw the model as not being "fat" which is basically what the term "plus-sized" implies, maybe readers should have considered who/what is determining what a woman is supposed to look like. Hint: It is not the woman herself.

up

5 users have voted.

—

The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

Back to the topic of my post which was not about the model but about people not understanding and responding to what was actually said or heard. The story about the model was an example of this problem.

#7
If our culture is going to entertain the concept of "plus size" models, it perhaps should also entertain the concept of "minus size" models (which would be most of them), and Iskra Lawrence would belong to neither category -- she'd just be, you know, normal. I mean, yeah, not normal in the sense that she's not preposterously attractive, but normal in the sense that her BMI is about what you might expect from a healthy woman in her 20s or 30s who ate a reasonable diet and got some regular daily exercise.

up

2 users have voted.

—

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

Specter is a great player. I have handled a lot of Axolotl in the aquarium trade, such a neat animal, so sad what is happening to them. Anything that can regenerate limbs is good by me. Obama bragging about what amounts to how much greenhouse gasses he was responsible for... "That was me" he said... was that before or after he bragged about how much wall st. made because of him. As if to scold them for not hiring him for enough quarter-mil speeches. His self adulation is well on its way to becoming megalomania. Go yellow vests!

up

8 users have voted.

—

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

heh, obama's back must have a sore spot from where he's been patting it.

have a good one!

Specter is a great player. I have handled a lot of Axolotl in the aquarium trade, such a neat animal, so sad what is happening to them. Anything that can regenerate limbs is good by me. Obama bragging about what amounts to how much greenhouse gasses he was responsible for... "That was me" he said... was that before or after he bragged about how much wall st. made because of him. As if to scold them for not hiring him for enough quarter-mil speeches. His self adulation is well on its way to becoming megalomania. Go yellow vests!

The independent media is in an uproar. Bernie Sanders is trying to pass a bill! The Democrats and even many Republicans are falling for his ploy of doing nothing to get the US out of Yemen! There is a loophole!

There is a massive echo going around that berates Sanders over his introduction of SJR 54. Here is the phrase that has everyone's knickers in a knot: "Congress hereby directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen, except United States Armed Forces engaged in operations directed at al Qaeda or associated forces."

Does anyone ANYONE believe a bill could be passed to help Yemen that did NOT include that phrase? The focus on this "loophole" has caused much furor. So much in fact, that the entire point of the bill has been missed. It also ignores the fact that Congress would then have to justify any role the US plays in Yemen (something that was obviously missing before).

This bill is quite short so worth taking a look at (link above). The entire thing is four pages of which only one page is the actual bill. Congress has for a long time now abdicated its responsibility regarding the calling for or withholding permission for the US to start or conduct wars.

There are 10 Whereas statements that precede the actual bill. The bill itself is rather bare bones; the meat lies in those Whereas paragraphs. First, it re-establishes the prerogatives of the War Powers Resolution (and will also establish itself as a precedent).

As I said, the bill is quite short, so I will let you see for yourselves just how more important those Whereas" statements are than the "loophole." Just remember to use the rules from Pet Peeves, Part 1 and you should be fine. = )

If you really don't have the little bit of time to look at this document, I will leave this one with you. Once you understand it, think of the possible outcomes that could come out of this.

Whereas, in December 2017, Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis stated, ‘‘We have gone in to be very—to be helpful where we can in identifying how you do target analysis and how you make certain you hit the right thing.’ [emphasis added]

PS I am beginning to worry about "independent media." There has been a lot of articles trying to tear apart anything Sanders has been doing and/or blaming him for the actions of others (e.g., Bezos).

up

7 users have voted.

—

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass

An American destroyer sailed off the Russian coast, near the Pacific Fleet base in Vladivostok, in a first such stunt since the Cold War. Another US ship is expected in the Black Sea soon, amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
The USS MCCampbell (DDG-85) went into the vicinity of Peter the Great Bay to “challenge Russia's excessive maritime claims and uphold the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea” enjoyed by the US and others, Lieutenant Rachel McMarr, a spokesperson for the US Pacific Fleet, said in a statement.

The US Navy calls such stunts “Freedom of Navigation Operations” (FONOP). The last time a FONOP was conducted in this area was 1987, at the peak of Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union.

Freedom of navigation you say?

Peter the Great Bay was named after the first emperor of Russia, and is dotted with bases of the Russian Pacific Fleet. The presence of a US destroyer in the area is comparable to a Russian sail-by of San Diego, California or Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

There's more ..

That is not all, however. The US Navy could also be planning to send a warship into the Black Sea in the near future. CNN reported that the State Department has notified Turkey of the intent to send a warship through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, which requires a 15-day notice under the terms of the 1936 Montreux Convention.

Anonymous US officials told CNN the move was a response to last month’s incident between Russian coast guard ships and three Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.

Maybe it's time for other companies to start sailing their ships off the coast of in the Atlantic, the gulf coast and the pacific just for ships and giggles? Our hubris knows no bounds. Pompeo accusing other countries of lawlessness, human rights violations and breaking treaties and what not. And with a straight face. Why the hell he isn't laughed out of the room?

Hmm, didn't see that gjohnsit had already written about this. Emily's Lolita voice .... never mind.

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6 users have voted.

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America is a pathetic nation; a fascist state fueled by the greed, malice, and stupidity of her own people.
- strife delivery

An American destroyer sailed off the Russian coast, near the Pacific Fleet base in Vladivostok, in a first such stunt since the Cold War. Another US ship is expected in the Black Sea soon, amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
The USS MCCampbell (DDG-85) went into the vicinity of Peter the Great Bay to “challenge Russia's excessive maritime claims and uphold the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea” enjoyed by the US and others, Lieutenant Rachel McMarr, a spokesperson for the US Pacific Fleet, said in a statement.

The US Navy calls such stunts “Freedom of Navigation Operations” (FONOP). The last time a FONOP was conducted in this area was 1987, at the peak of Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union.

Freedom of navigation you say?

Peter the Great Bay was named after the first emperor of Russia, and is dotted with bases of the Russian Pacific Fleet. The presence of a US destroyer in the area is comparable to a Russian sail-by of San Diego, California or Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

There's more ..

That is not all, however. The US Navy could also be planning to send a warship into the Black Sea in the near future. CNN reported that the State Department has notified Turkey of the intent to send a warship through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, which requires a 15-day notice under the terms of the 1936 Montreux Convention.

Anonymous US officials told CNN the move was a response to last month’s incident between Russian coast guard ships and three Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.

Maybe it's time for other companies to start sailing their ships off the coast of in the Atlantic, the gulf coast and the pacific just for ships and giggles? Our hubris knows no bounds. Pompeo accusing other countries of lawlessness, human rights violations and breaking treaties and what not. And with a straight face. Why the hell he isn't laughed out of the room?

Hmm, didn't see that gjohnsit had already written about this. Emily's Lolita voice .... never mind.

These are the Democrats who have not signed on to the Save the Net bill. This website details how much money each has received from the telecoms: https://www.demsagainstthe.net/ The site also includes their phone numbers in case you want to give them an earful.

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9 users have voted.

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We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass